April 5, 2006 — HSBC North America Holdings Inc. announced that it has appointed John (Jack) McGinnis to be its controller. Also announced was the promotion of James Binyon to be chief accounting officer of HSBC Finance Corporation, the consumer finance subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc.

In the new position of controller, McGinnis is responsible for all aspects of accounting and financial reporting for HSBC North America Holdings Inc. He reports to Simon Penney, chief financial officer of HSBC North America. McGinnis joins HSBC from Ernst & Young LLP, where he was a partner in the firm’s Toronto office for the last 3 years, after having spent 13 years with the firm in the U.S. He is based at HSBC’s North American headquarters in Prospect Heights, Illinois.

In his new role, Binyon, previously vice president and controller of HSBC Finance Corporation, is now its chief accounting officer. He manages all accounting and financial reporting activities for HSBC Finance Corporation, including accounting policy research as well as external, regulatory and management reporting. This position was previously held by Beverley Sibblies, chief financial officer of HSBC Finance Corporation. Binyon reports to Sibblies. HSBC Finance Corporation is the new name of predatory lender Household International.